the victory of QSI / Mondial 2022 / Final / Argentina-France / SOFOOT.com

In the streets of Doha, since the start of the World Cup, the buildings have been preparing three possible posters for the final, with a heavy blow of illuminated buildings. Neymar vs. Messi, Messi vs. CR7, and CR7 vs. Neymar. Everywhere, the faces of the three mega stars fade away from everything else. In Qatar’s eyes, this World Cup should be theirs. As it is, Kylian Mbappé still has a long way to go in terms of international popularity. Even though he speaks cowboy-like English, it’s not his hologram juggling Qatari skyscrapers with Messi, but double Ney. However, if the organizers underestimated Mbappé and the Blues, they find themselves well in a final that serves their interests.

An unexpected publicity stunt

For days, in the light of an era where football is extremely individual, we talk more about the Messi vs Mbappé final than Argentina-France. Which is sad, unfair and indicative of how most sports in the world are perceived. Apart from the Twitter accounts that are not stingy with statistics, which rejoice this very rapid starification of the big names of the round ball, others are also happy with this phenomenon: the Qatari organizers of the World Cup, and therefore the PSG staff. Because if we’re reminded in a few days that Inter Milan and Bayern Munich have each had players in the final since 1982 – which will still be the case this year – it bears PSG’s stamp.

Lionel Messi facing Kylian Mbappé is indeed a dream scenario for Qatar, and by extension QSI and Paris Saint-Germain. What could be better for the club’s image than to have two of its three superstars star at the meeting of the year? On the lips of the whole world? In one of all newspapers this Sunday? For the Parisian club, which is trying to make up for its lack of popularity against the European giants through transfers, international campaigns and foreign social networks, there could not be better publicity. Especially since it allows the passage to relegate the failure of the Qatari selection to the background.

A reinforced image

Behind the scenes, PSG has steered its boat well this World Cup. After all, what better timing for Nasser al-Khelaïfi than the World Cup bracket to launch a fight in the city of Paris? As a master negotiator, the president of PSG carefully dropped the bomb while his headliners occupied the minds of football lovers: what if Paris Saint-Germain left the Parc des Princes because of the ugly town hall of Paris ? In the middle of the Ligue 1 season, such an outing will ignite the powder, especially from the Auteuil corner. But here, no. PSG and its president are coming out of a position of strength against Anne Hidalgo and her flock, analyzing the positive dynamics of this World Cup turning in favor of QSI.

Diplomatic bows only reinforce this state of grace. Emmanuel Macron himself came to sing the praises of this World Cup in Qatar after Morocco-France, mainly to prepare the ground for his Paris Olympics, while other officials from around the world took advantage of the competition to go and sign juicy contracts, in the image of the United States Secretary of State John Kerry. Human rights violated, LGBT+ flags banned, all kinds of restrictions? Swept away, forgotten. The sad truth is that the image of Qatar, and therefore of everyone who depends on it, has been enhanced by this World Cup. But beware: the horizon may darken again for Qatar and its PSG. Apart from the uncertainty about the continuation of Neymar’s career after Brazil’s collapse, PSG will recover a world champion at any cost, and a loser. We found it better to weld an electric trio before the competition.

By Adrien Hémard-Dohain